Chapter 10- The Silent Melody

ISSAC

Issac checked the time. 5:45. The family'd been gone at the Harrisons' for one hour. He'd followed his mom's order and tried to nap. Didn't work. So, he'd made himself supper and settled down to watch TV. It didn't take a genious to figure out that nothing was on, so he bundled up and went outside for a walk. His restless feet led him to the park. Strolling slowly, Ike caught sight of a familiar figure huddled under a tree, reading a book.

He knew her! She was the girl he had run into, literally. Her face was pale and round. Her hair was a mousey brown. He noticed that she still had those notebooks. Slowly, he walked up to her.

"Hey, 'member me?"

She didn't look at him, just continued to read.

"Uuuum, what are you reading?"

She casually turned a page. Snob Issac thought. Yet, he couldn't turn and go away. Gently, he tapped her shoulder. She jumped.

"Hey," Issac repeated, "'member me?"

She nodded.

"Hi," he said.

She waved her hand.

"What are you reading?"

She held up her book: The Silent Melody by Mary Balogh. Issac knew that book; his mom had read it.

"What's it about?" he asked, for conversational purposes.

Looking frustrated, she turned the book over so that he could see the caption on the back.

"I'm Issac Hanson. Who are you?"

She shook her head from side to side and began making hand movements. Feeling annoyed, Issac repeated the question. Pursing her lips, she reached for her notebook and pen. Thinking he'd been dismissed all together, he turned to go. She caught his arm and shook her head "no." Seconds later, her notebook was shoved into his hands.

"Hello Issac Hanson," it said in neat, straight letters, "I'm Brianne Patterson. Yes, I remember you. Thanks for picking up my books.

"You're welcome, Brianne," Issac said.

She took her notebook back and began to write again. Issac sat down so that he could read over her shoulder.

"Are you of the musical group Hanson?" she wrote, "My sister has both of your CDs if you are Hanson."

"I'm a Hanson," Issac replied, noticing that she watched only his lips when he talked, "Say 'hi' to Allison for me."

She nodded.

"Brianne, why don't you talk?"

Her face clouded over and she wrote furiously, "I'm deaf. But I can lip read. It was a freak accident; I wasn't born deaf. I wandered away from our cabin when I was two and fell in the lake. By the time they found me, I was near dead. I stopped breathing on the way to the hospital. The doctors thought that I would be blind, because of loss of oxygen to my brain. But I'm not blind. I suffered hyperthermia and had an awful fever. That cost me my hearing."

"Oh, Brianne, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

She smiled meekly.

TAYLOR

Taylor and Madeline's friendship had been long in the making. On the 16th of March, 1983, the Harrisons', then only Mr. and Mrs. and unborn baby, moved in six houses down from the Hansons'. Intrigued by the very new Taylor and the 2 and a half year old Ike, Mrs Harrison went to meet Mrs Hanson. Madeline had joined the picture on the 24th of March, 10 days after Taylor. Taylor and Madeline were best friends until the Hansons' left for Venezula. When they came back, Madeline had Caroline. Caroline knew Jake, so the four became a group. And now Taylor, because of his stupid mistake, could hardly talk to Madeline.

Madeline and Taylor were in the process of making make-shift soccer nets. The December air was nippy, but they couldn't think of anything else reasonable to do.

"So, how was LA?" Madeline asked, kicking the soccer ball.

"Good."

"Oh."

Taylor caught the ball and kicked it at Madeline's empty net. It hit the "goal post" and bounced out.

"How was Lacey?"

Taylor snickered, "That didn't sound right, Maddy. She was nice; quiet though. Really shy. Cute lisp."

"Oh," Madeline said, "Tay, you know what? You can find a lot to say about one girl, and nothing to say about LA."

There was a pause as Madeline maneuvered the ball away from Taylor.

"How'd you dump her?"

"Maddy! Do you have to be so blunt? And, if you must know, I gave her my shoe lace."

"Mr. Romance," Madeline giggled.

Taylor kicked the ball and scored.

"YEAH!!!" he yelled, glad to direct the conversation away from Lacey, because talking about her felt like a raw, open wound.

The game continued quietly.

"How can I leave Matt?"

Madeline's question shocked him, and she slid the ball past him into his net. Rather than jumping for joy, she collapsed on the lawn.

"You were going out with him? Eeeeew!"

"Show some respect, Tay."

Taylor managed to not be all that disgusted.

"Shouldn't you ask Carry that?"he asked, "I mean, I don't really know."

"No. Caroline wouldn't understand."

It was on the tip of Taylor's tongue to say "And I would?", but he didn't. Instead he said, "Tell him you don't like him anymore, easy as that."

Madeline wrinkled her nose.

"I never did like him," she muttered.

"Then why did you go out with him?"

Madeline raised an eyebrow.

"'Cause Jake had Shiela and Caroline was spending most of her time with Cameron Devon. You were in a different state, and well, even if you weren't. You and me....well....I guess I was lonely."

Madeline hadn't told him all of it, and he knew it. An invisible barrier hadn't allowed her to. Once again, Taylor wished things were the way they once were.

"So, why do you want to break up with him?" Taylor pressed.

Her facial expressions froze over, and she pressed her lips tightly together. Carefully, she said, "Because. Forget it, Tay! Let's play soccer. The score's 1-1."

"Hey! Your goal didn't count!"

"Did to!"

Rolling his eyes, Taylor stood up.

ISSAC

Brianne was great company. She "talked" a lot, and said sweet things. Issac could tell she wasn't double sided like Angie. She was refreshingly funny, although not strikingly beautiful.

Her mousey brown hair had a wave and her round face was alarmingly pale. She was pretty short and was pretty thin, too. Too thin, if you asked him. But, she had a pretty laugh, and Ike wished she could hear it.

"I live on 77th Street," she was writing, "Do you know it?"

"You live there?" Issac exclaimed, "My brothers' friends, the Harrisons', live on 77th Street too! We're on 75th."

"Madeline and Rose Harrison?" she wrote, "I've seen Zac, is it? With Rose. Taylor is the middle one, right? He and Madeline used to play, I think."

"Still do. It's a small world!"

Brianne giggled. Issac loved to hear her laugh.

"Do you come here every day?"

"As much as possible," Brianne 'said',"You?"

"Yup." Or would have to now.

"That's my other sister, Leah, coming," she wrote, pointing, "Means I have to go. Bye, Ike."

"Bye Bri."

Leah was over before Brianne had gotten her stuff together. She gave Issac a side glance and said hello, signing it for Brianne. Brianne began to sign back, motioning at Ike.

Ike just gawked at them. Their sisterly resemblance was non existant, almost. Leah was tall, had jet black hair, and was not too, too thin. She was just right. She looked out- going, unlike the vulnerable look Brianne carried. The only resemblance the two had were large, intelligant blue eyes. Both girls signed good bye, and walked away. Leah's posture was rigidly straight, Ike noticed, but Brianne's wasn't. Her shoulders curled in, and she looked like she wanted to hide. Issac shrugged and turned to go home.

TAYLOR

Taylor slipped into the bath tub and shut his eyes. Peace and quiet. Relaxation. He'd like to see somebody disturb him here!

His evening with Madeline had caused him a great deal of stress. He'd seen her, and for the first time since he'd left LA, forgot Lacey. Well, forgotten her until Madeline had brought her up. But once they were done discussing that, Lacey had drifted back to a sweet memory. Taylor sighed.

He liked Madeline, he'd kidded himself a very long time. In a strange way, Lacey's guilt made him realize that. But you didn't like your friends. Case closed.

"Mom, Tay promised!" Jessie cried jerking Taylor from his thoughts. He cast his gaze from the tap to the closed door.

"Jess, dear, it's impossible for Taylor to come to your dance recital. Don't be silly! And don't remind him. We don't need him feeling guilty."

"But, Mom-"

"No 'buts', Jessie. Things have changed."

Taylor heard his mom's retreating footsteps, followed shortly by Jessie's. Guilt flooded Taylor. He had promised. But his mom was right, things had changed. As soon as he was out of the tub, he knew what he had to do.

ZAC

Zac stretched his legs out and wiggled his toes. Rose joined him on the floor by her bed and reached for his hand. Zac squeezed her fingers and sighed happily. He could bask in his happiness forever; especially in the fact that Mr Popular Ike and Mr I'm So Cool Taylor didn't have girlfriends, and he, Zac Hanson, did. And not only did he have one, but she was cool. Ah, life was good.

"I'm glad Mom and Dad let me stay."

"Me too. Tay seemed to be in a hurry to leave. Why?"

"Dunno," so he said. So what if he knew? Taylor would kill him if he told Rose about Madeline.

"Why did Maddy want him to go? She didn't encourage him to stay either," Zac pushed.

"Dunno."

They looked at each other for a moment, and both opened their mouths to spill at the same time. But, before either could say a word, a knock on the door interrupted them.

Sheepishly, Rose withdrew her hand and sat on her bed, away from Zac, who was leaning on it.

"What?" Rose called.

Mrs Harrison stuck her head in the door.

"Dad and I are going out. Maddy's in her room. Bye Rose. Bye Zac. We'll be back around 1:00 in the morning. Lorinda Mclain wants to take us to the pub on 51st. We're picking up your mom and dad, too, Zac."

"Bye Mom," Rose said.

"Mrs. Harrison, should Mom go to the pub? I mean, it's kinda smokie."

"You now Lorinda, Zac. We ladies will go someplace else."

Zac nodded. Mrs Harrison left. Rose hopped off her bed, joined Zac again, and reclaimed his hand. They sat staring at the wall for a long time.

"Hello, Rose,"he said finally, giving her a hello kiss. Suddenly, the door flew open.

"Eeeew, gross."

"Madeline!" Rose gasped, flying away from Zac at the speed of light, "You have to knock!"

Zac blushed and picked at a piece of string on his jeans. Rose was redder than her hair. For the first time, Zac felt guilty for the hotel room scene, when Taylor had kissed Lacey.

"Well," Madeline said, looking and sounding awkward, "Scream is on TV in 15 minutes. I'm going to watch it. Are you?"

Zac said yes and Rose said no. Madeline moaned.

TAYLOR

Mr and Mrs Hanson scurried out of the house and Taylor decided it was time to begin his plan of attack. He and Ike were babysitting. Taylor knocked hard on Jessica's door.

"Come in."

Jess was sprawled on her bed, listening to Aaron Carter's imported CD and staring dreamily at his face, which was plastered all over her walls.

"Hi Tay," she muttered.

"Hey Jess. I have a secret. Can you keep it?"

"Yup."

"OK, listen then," Taylor told her, flicking off Aaron Carter, "You know how Mom said that I can't go to your dance recital because Hanson is too popular and too recognizable now? And you know how Mom's word is the law?" Taylor asked, rolling his eyes.

"Uh huh. It sucks."

"Pretty much. But, aren't rules made to be broken?" he quipped, "I'll be there, Jessie. In disguise. Me and Ike concocted it."

Jess gave him a hug.

IKE

The next morning, Ike was at the library bright and early. He'd hawled Zac and Taylor, both of whom weren't pleased, to learn the art of signing. It was common knowledge that one couldn't learn on their own.

It didn't take Ike long to realize that Zac and Tay were not the people to learn it with. Before Issac could even think of a perverted word to sign, Zac and Taylor had memorized it and put it into a sentence. Issac glared at them as they giggled sheepishly. He wished he could bang their heads together.

"Come on, dumbos, be serious," he implored.

"Hey, Ike, sign this," Taylor ordered, signing something. Issac didn't know what Tay said, but, judging by the way he and Zac laughed over it, Ike had a pretty good idea.

"Grow up! Tay, for goodness sake, you are almost 15!"

Tay snickered. Zac smacked his arm and signed something else. They started to giggle again.

********

Ike hurried to the park. Brianne was already there. She was sitting under the tree, again, and reading. Ike tapped her arm and signed hello. That was about as much as he learned!

"Hi," she signed back, closing her book, and moving so that he could sit down beside her.

She signed something else, but it went totally over Ike's head. Smiling, she got out her notebook again.

"I asked if you signed lots. I guess not!" she wrote.

"Yeah well. I couldn't learn on my own, and my idiot brothers were no help."

"I'll help," she 'told' him, "Watch. This would be how you would spell your name."

Waving her fingers delicately, she spelt his name in the air. He did it with her. Soon, he could sign happy, sad, I, me, and you.

Do you want to go back to Edith's Hanson Eclipse or do you want to go back to 77th Street? It's up to you!

Email: edithcampbell@angelfire.com